Overview
- Asha Sharma, who became Xbox chief in February 2026, told The Wall Street Journal that she spends a few hours each month answering player support requests to learn how problems are fixed and where the system breaks down.
- The ticket work is presented as one part of an 'Xbox Reset' that has already cut roles, trimmed the number of games in development, and refocused investment on Microsoft’s largest franchises.
- In July, Sharma approved large layoffs that initially affected about 1,600 jobs and were reported to extend to roughly 3,200 roles by the end of Microsoft’s business year.
- Sharma has also canceled a criticized Xbox AI assistant and eased access from physical discs to digital copies while setting a goal of double-digit profit margins and an expected return to growth by the end of fiscal 2027.
- Players and observers have praised her clear communication style but some critics view the support-ticket anecdote as a selective PR signal, and the changes carry real effects for staff, independent studios, and users who rely on timely support fixes.